Raspberry Crumb Pie
Taste testing is one of the great perks of my job. Every summer when our first batch of Raspberry Crumb Pies comes out of the oven, I take one home with me so that my family and I can perform “quality assurance.” It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it! Raspberries are at their best in the midsummer months. For best results, seek out raspberries that are slightly soft and plump. Raspberries continue to ripen after they are picked and have a short shelf-life, so try to make this pie within a day or two of bringing home your raspberries. Raspberry pie is equally good made with a traditional pastry piecrust (as photographed here with a lattice topping) or a Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Topping, but, I have to say, I’m partial to the crumb topping—the sweetness is a lovely complement to the raspberries’ tartness. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of Whipped Cream (page 193). This pie can also be made with the Traditional Pastry double crust (page 5).